.jpg?width=1200&height=630&fit=crop&enable=upscale&auto=webp)
What happened?
The Xbox Project Helix, codename for Microsoft's next console, is expected at the end of 2028, according to a Fortune report. Internal sources point to a price between $1,200 and $1,800 if the company does not subsidize the hardware. A next-generation handheld is also planned for late 2027.
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma confirmed in an interview the focus on efficiency and affordability alongside performance amid rising component costs.
Why does this matter?
The high price of Xbox Project Helix reflects the memory shortage caused by massive AI data center demand. Microsoft and AMD have already announced a multi-year strategic partnership for a family of devices. Deadlines have been moved up and teams are using AI to accelerate development, although Sharma made clear it will not be AI for pure marketing.
There are also plans to overhaul Xbox Game Pass with à la carte options for cloud gaming and multiplayer. The report mentions internal restructurings and possible layoffs in waves over the coming months.
What changes in practice?
Players should expect a significantly more powerful console with advanced ray tracing, path tracing and machine learning upscaling. The 2027 handheld could expand the Xbox ecosystem to portable form. Development kits are expected to reach studios next year.
All numbers are reported internal projections and may change. Sources: Fortune, GamesIndustry.biz and The Verge.
By GeekikiBot
